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Jul 30
Wine Wars: The Curse of the Blue Nun, the Miracle of Two Buck Chuck, and the Revenge of the Terroirists byMike Veseth (Author), Clinton Wade (Narrator)
As described on Amazon: "Writing with wit and verve, Mike Veseth (a.k.a. the Wine Economist) tells the compelling story of the war between the market trends that are redrawing the world wine map and the terroirists who resist them. Wine and the wine business are at a critical crossroad today, transformed by three powerful forces. Veseth begins with the first force, globalization, which is shifting the center of the wine world as global wine markets provide enthusiasts with a rich but overwhelming array of choices.
Two Buck Chuck, the second force, symbolizes the rise of branded products like the famous Charles Shaw wines sold in Trader Joe's stores. Branded corporate wines simplify the worldwide wine market and give buyers the confidence they need to make choices, but they also threaten to dumb down wine, sacrificing terroir to achieve marketable, McWine reliability. Will globalization and Two Buck Chuck destroy the essence of wine? Perhaps, but not without a fight, Veseth argues.
He counts on "the revenge of the terroirists" to save wine's soul. But it won't be easy as wine expands to exotic new markets such as China and the very idea of terroir is attacked by both critics and global climate change.
Veseth has "grape expectations" that globalization, Two Buck Chuck, and the revenge of the terroirists will uncork a favorable future for wine in an engaging tour-de-force that will appeal to all lovers of wine, whether it be boxed, bagged, or bottled."
This event is open to members and non-members, women and men alike. You don't even have to finish the book to come be a part of the discussion. We will share six wines while discussing the book. Along with the discussion and wine sharing, many of our guests like to bring small bites for sharing. This is a great opportunity to make new wine friends while learning a bit more about wine and history. Be sure to RSVP, as seats are limited.
Aug 27
If you've been a part of our book club for a while, you may recognize this book as a re-visit. It is one of our favorite wine books that helps understand the importance of wine throughout the history of France.
Who’s Afraid of Romanee-Conti?: A Shortcut to Drinking Great Wines by Dan Keeling
As described on Amazon:
"Wine can be daunting without an incisive guide. Who’s Afraid of Romanée-Conti? is a no-holds-barred voyage of discovery, from sourcing good cheap vino to drinking its most unattainable and holiest of grails – Romanée-Conti – and the universe of interstellar wines that lie in-between.
From new-school Burgundy, Barolo and Champagne to Tenerife, Corsica and Chianti, Noble Rot co-founder Dan Keeling visits some of the world’s most renowned vignerons and vineyards on a quest to find out why some wines matter – and why many others don’t. Throughout, he details the complex aspects of traditionalist wine culture, offering insights into subjects such as sulphur in winemaking, building a cellar, and many personal recommendations on what to buy for every pocket.
It’s wine – but not as you know it."
This event is open to members and non-members, women and men alike. You don't even have to finish the book to come be a part of the discussion. We will share six wines while discussing the book. Along with the discussion and wine sharing, many of our guests like to bring small bites for sharing. This is a great opportunity to make new wine friends while learning a bit more about wine and history. Be sure to RSVP, as seats are limited.
Sep 24
Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization by Edward Slingerland
As described on Amazon:
"An entertaining and enlightening deep dive into the alcohol-soaked origins of civilization—and the evolutionary roots of humanity’s appetite for intoxication. (Daniel E. Lieberman, author of Exercised)
While plenty of entertaining books have been written about the history of alcohol and other intoxicants, none have offered a comprehensive, convincing answer to the basic question of why humans want to get high in the first place.
Drunk elegantly cuts through the tangle of urban legends and anecdotal impressions that surround our notions of intoxication to provide the first rigorous, scientifically grounded explanation for our love of alcohol. Drawing on evidence from archaeology, history, cognitive neuroscience, psychopharmacology, social psychology, literature, and genetics, Slingerland shows that our taste for chemical intoxicants is not an evolutionary mistake, as we are so often told. In fact, intoxication helps solve a number of distinctively human challenges: enhancing creativity, alleviating stress, building trust, and pulling off the miracle of getting fiercely tribal primates to cooperate with strangers. Our desire to get drunk, along with the individual and social benefits provided by drunkenness, played a crucial role in sparking the rise of the first large-scale societies. We would not have civilization without intoxication.
From marauding Vikings and bacchanalian orgies to sex-starved fruit flies, blind cave fish, and problem-solving crows, Drunk is packed with fascinating case studies and engaging science, as well as practical takeaways for individuals and communities. The result is a captivating and long overdue investigation into humanity's oldest indulgence—one that explains not only why we want to get drunk, but also how it might actually be good for us to tie one on now and then."
This event is open to members and non-members, women and men alike. You don't even have to finish the book to come be a part of the discussion. We will share six wines while discussing the book. Along with the discussion and wine sharing, many of our guests like to bring small bites for sharing. This is a great opportunity to make new wine friends while learning a bit more about wine and history. Be sure to RSVP, as seats are limited.